Yellow

Eyes:
TFSI
TheBalm Overshadow - Work is Overrated from lashline to brow
Aromaleigh Livewire to wetline
Black with green glitter gel liner from Physicians Formula
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara
Korres Soft Eyeliner - White on waterline

Lips:
Morgana Cryptoria Violet Banana lipstick

Cheeks: Physicians Formula pH booster - Light Bronzer

Sunday Sunblock: Kiss My Face Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40

For today's Sunday Sunblock, I am reviewing Kiss My Face Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40. It comes in a 3 oz. tube, and is available at stores like Whole Foods, online, and at various web-based health-foods stores. Above, I made a dab on my hand, and rubbed some in to the right of that. You can see that it's a bit shiny and a little white, but not as much as some others I've reviewed. It feels a little oily to the touch, and it's a little tacky until it sets. I have not noticed any additional breakouts from this, and while it doesn't dry as clear as it states, it dries a lot clearer than some others. I would not wear this alone on my face because of the shininess, but it works well enough for body use. Now, for whole body use, you're supposed to use a full ounce, so this is only good for three shortish trips to the beach, but I have been using it on my face, neck, chest, and arms. It has an annoying tendency (like most physical sunscreens) to gather in white streaks in the creases in my elbows and on my neck, but I can't really feel it on my arms right now, and I applied four hours ago. I was outside in bright sun for about forty minutes during peak sun hours, and I have not burned. 

Active ingredients: Zinc Oxide 10.00 %; Titanium Dioxide 7.50 %.

Inactive ingredients: Aqua, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin-E), Ergocalciferol (Vitamin-D), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin-C), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.

Price: $16.99

Price per ounce: $5.66

Buy again? - Maybe. Not full price, but as a throw-in to a LuckyVitamin order. I like the SPF 40, I like the fact that it has Vitamin D in it to make up for the fact that I'm not getting it from the sun, and it wears ok under makeup.

Hot Pink Disco Half Moons

Still working on manicures utilizing some sort of sticky paper thing to block one color off before applying another. I'm getting better at keeping the edges neat, but need to work on my patience. I always want to put the stickers and second colors on before the first color's dry! This, I am learning, is a no-no.

This time, I used Julep Rose as a base, and butter LONDON Disco Biscuit as the top color. Disco Biscuit is a cooler hot pink, and it really warms up next to Rose's warmth.

I did this during a mild obsession with Milani's green nail art polish (a.k.a. the only nail art specific polish I own), but my recent acquisition of a double-ended nail art brush/dotting tool should really open up some possibilities in this arena for me. The lady at Sally's told me to use acetone-free nail polish remover to clean it. Do you concur?

The difference lipstick color makes

Hey! I'm still here, just, it's been a stressful past few weeks. I finally finished my masters' thesis, so now I'm just waiting for feedback so I can revise it and defend this fall, but getting that plan set in place was kind of a mess. Also, I'm stressed about work and my professional life in general, for reasons I'd rather not go into right now. Anyway, onto the makeup.

I've been into a new-to-me blog the past few weeks, drivel about frivol, which is great for many reasons. I like Kate's writing primarily because it's fantastic, but specifically because she focuses really intently on the intent behind her color choices. She's written a lot about her take on minimalism and makeup, and her looks are always very carefully considered. I've also been playing around with the idea that your choosing blush and lip products on the opposite side of the warm/cool spectrum from your eye makeup enhances the other one through contrast.

So, I played with this idea and came up with the look on the left. Later in the day, I wanted to try out a lipstick I'd impulse bought and decided to see how the same look would compare with a different color on my lips.

On the left, I'm using Pacifica Color Quench Lip Tint in Bare Coconut, which is a pale, shimmery nude. On the right, I'm using Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in 15, the "smoky top coat" color - it's more of a deep browned purple with shimmer than anything.

I think it's a softer look with the nude balm, more vampy with the purple.  Somehow, though, the first one is edgier - the orange eyeliner pops in an otherwise neutral look.

Eyes:
Shadow - 50/50 mix of Urban Decay Primer Potion - Greed and Too Faced Lockdown Cream Shadow - Jailbait on lids to browbone.
Liner - Sephora + Pantone Universe Tangerine Tango
Mascara - probably CoverGirl LashBlast

Sadly, I forget the exact blush. It's a cool, clear, bright pink.

  

 

Zoya Zuza

Because there have been so many text-only posts...

Zoya Zuza on all nails
Accent - Clinique Fuschia Kisses and Milani Green Sketch

Skincare update

I am down to about six remotely angry zits and they're all on my jawline, plus a bunch of scarring and redness on and under the jawline.

Current routine:
A.M.
*Wash face with First Aid Beauty cleanser
*Wipe face with First Aid Beauty exfoliating pads (full of glycolic and lactic acids!)
*Moisturize/boost with Desert Essence Age Defying Pomegranate face serum
*Apply sunblock - right now I'm using up Lavanila The Healthy body sunscreen
Do makeup

P.M.
If face is super gunky feeling, maybe remove makeup with either a self-made oil cleanser, Simple eye makeup remover, or Caudalie cleansing water.
*Wash with CeraVe foaming facial cleanser and a face brush.
Tone if I feel like it - currently using witch hazel beefed up with tea tree oil, but the Thayers cucumber aloe witch hazel I ordered FINALLY came in the mail today. The packaging is still in a heap by my feet, lol.
*Apply Silk Naturals Super Serum (vitamin C, niacinamide).
*Apply Peter Thomas Roth retinol serum.
Moisturize if I feel like I need it with 365 facial moisturizer, Lucy Minerals ambrosia serum, blend of tea tree and lavender oil, or any combination of the above.

* These are things I am doing every day. Nonstarred items I only do if I feel like it.

My skin hasn't gone downhill since running out of the Philosophy Booster C sample, so I'm probably not going to go run out and buy that. I don't personally think that the cleanser is that important. I mean, yeah, you should wash your face, but these specific products aren't Holy Grail items, just things I happen to have - the FAB cleanser came in a set with the pads, and I like to keep my acids for A.M. and my niacinamide for nighttime - both seem to be useful but they don't play well together. When I run out of those, I have roughly 16 oz. left of a fragrance free body wash that also works as a facial cleanser.

The exfoliating pads, Super Serum, and possibly the retinol, have contributed the most to my skin's improvement, I think. The other antioxidant stuff and the sunblock address my other concerns of not wanting to age prematurely and definitely not wanting a repeat of my skin cancer experience.

What has helped you clear up your cystic, hormonal acne? Has anything really helped you with the scarring?

Tiny rant and plea for help

I'm sure that if you read my blog, you must follow some of the other big bloggers. If so, you probably know that Milani has new powder shadows out, that they are five bucks each, and that they are GORGEOUS in all the swatches.

I have been to at least ten CVSes in my fairly large Midwestern city and cannot find them at all. The website has them, but won't ship them to me for free, and one three of the colors I want most (tickled pink, the purple one, and the dark brown pearl) is are out of stock and have been for days. I also don't know if I can use my extrabucks on them online, which is significant because I have enough to cover three of them. Milani's website has them, but again, no free shipping, can't use the extrabucks, and they're charging a dollar more.

Has anybody actually seen these? I'm beginning to think they're f***ing mythical or something. Any insight on if I can use extrabucks online is also appreciated.

UPDATE: 7:48 p.m. EDT Monday - I called CVS today, and was informed by the rep that these lovely shadows are not in stock anywhere in or near my city, and that they also have no way of knowing when they will be. Guess I'll just have to wait for serendipidity or a good Milani coupon code.